Lawn Equipment and maintenance

outofyourmind

outofyourmind

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I've had a McLane walk behind edger for a lot of years.
It's starting to stumble, not wanting to start, runs good for awhile, then wants to chug chug and stall, or sometimes keep going.

Never have rebuilt a carburetor, so I'm wondering how intricate this shit is.
I think it could be a number of things, but a rebuild kit should get it all.
Maybe a fuel pump diaphragm, maybe fuel metering, just don't know

Like this:

1619202870810.png



These rebuild kits are vague in their description, such as "will fit Briggs & Stratton 3-5 horsepower" etc., and since I have never done one, am uncertain if I want to take this thing all apart then discover I have the wrong kit.

@fordman84
I think you said you had some experience with these things??
Is it easy or not. Should I just jump into it or have it done. Right now it would probably take all summer to get it back from the repair shop.


Anybody have this problem.
 
outofyourmind said:
I've had a McLane walk behind edger for a lot of years.
It's starting to stumble, not wanting to start, runs good for awhile, then wants to chug chug and stall, or sometimes keep going.

Never have rebuilt a carburetor, so I'm wondering how intricate this shit is.
I think it could be a number of things, but a rebuild kit should get it all.
Maybe a fuel pump diaphragm, maybe fuel metering, just don't know

Like this:

View attachment 27990



These rebuild kits are vague in their description, such as "will fit Briggs & Stratton 3-5 horsepower" etc., and since I have never done one, am uncertain if I want to take this thing all apart then discover I have the wrong kit.

@fordman84
I think you said you had some experience with these things??
Is it easy or not. Should I just jump into it or have it done. Right now it would probably take all summer to get it back from the repair shop.


Anybody have this problem.
Click to expand...
I don't know shit but did find these and hope it helps some:

 
batchaps4me said:
I don't know shit but did find these and hope it helps some:

Click to expand...



Thanks, I've watched some of those. I found 1 that helped, but nothing about the rebuild kit itself.
And if most of those guys would just STFU and show me instead of talking about useless crap, I could get thru more of them.
 
I cleaned my lawnmower carb multiple times in the past. Now I just buy a new one off amazon every few years for $15
 
outofyourmind said:
I've had a McLane walk behind edger for a lot of years.
It's starting to stumble, not wanting to start, runs good for awhile, then wants to chug chug and stall, or sometimes keep going.

Never have rebuilt a carburetor, so I'm wondering how intricate this shit is.
I think it could be a number of things, but a rebuild kit should get it all.
Maybe a fuel pump diaphragm, maybe fuel metering, just don't know

Like this:

View attachment 27990



These rebuild kits are vague in their description, such as "will fit Briggs & Stratton 3-5 horsepower" etc., and since I have never done one, am uncertain if I want to take this thing all apart then discover I have the wrong kit.

@fordman84
I think you said you had some experience with these things??
Is it easy or not. Should I just jump into it or have it done. Right now it would probably take all summer to get it back from the repair shop.


Anybody have this problem.
Click to expand...
Pretty common with those. Does your have the large fuel tank like the picture or the shallower one? The carb kits are pretty universal for a 3hp or 5hp, it really is just one gasket that goes between the carb and the tank and one rubber 'sheet" for the pump. Pretty easy to do one, and worst case just take photos on your phone as you go since the only difficult part is getting any linkage back in the right spot. Also, you are going to need a torx (star) bit to get most of them off the tank. It goes like this most of the time:

Remove the air cleaner cover and the air filter.
close the choke (prevent screws from falling into to carb throat
remove the air cleaner plate (4 - 5/16" screws)
Two bolts will hold the carb to the block, 7/16" I think and a box end wrench will do it
disconnect the governor spring and linkage, at this point the carb and tank should be free to work on
I think (4) torx screws hold the carb to the tank, take them loose and then scrape off the old gasket
on the side is a plate with (4) smaller torx bits holding the pump diaphragm, remove them
once it is open spray cleaner through all the holes, watch your eyes as a lot of the air holes are u-turns
replace the old pump diaphragm with a new one and put screws back
put new gasket on top (only goes one way) and put screws back in
attach linkage
put 7'/16" bolts back
put cleaner backing on with 5/16" screws
air cleaner and cap back on
done


Though if it runs and sputters it likely just has a little water or gunk in the tank. Best first option might be to get an old turkey baster and suck all the old gas out and put new stuff in. May not look like anything in there, but those briggs tanks have dimples on the bottom that can hold water that gets shaken up and aerated into the fuel once running.
 
the briggs model number should be stamped on the top of the housing, near the spark plug. That will help you get the right carb kit, but I have a box of about 10 of those pumps because they are standard on my 3.5 and 5hp engines on go karts and tote-gotes. And if you are really careful sometimes you don't even have to replace the tank to carb gasket.
 
fordman84 said:
Though if it runs and sputters it likely just has a little water or gunk in the tank. Best first option might be to get an old turkey baster and suck all the old gas out and put new stuff in. May not look like anything in there, but those briggs tanks have dimples on the bottom that can hold water that gets shaken up and aerated into the fuel once running.
Click to expand...


Thanks for all of that info.
One thing I have to do is keep the fuel tank topped off with fuel, and I mean topped off, or it won't run at all.
Does this thing have a fuel filter???? And does that come with the kit??

I have the torx wrenches and can do this, but was looking to avoid any pitfalls by somebody who has never done one.

Thanks for all of that. I'll see what happens. I'll empty the fuel tank first and check that
 
fordman84 said:
the briggs model number should be stamped on the top of the housing, near the spark plug. That will help you get the right carb kit, but I have a box of about 10 of those pumps because they are standard on my 3.5 and 5hp engines on go karts and tote-gotes. And if you are really careful sometimes you don't even have to replace the tank to carb gasket.
Click to expand...


I'll have to clean the thing up to see that, but I was thinking that's my next step if I'm ordering a rebuild kit.
 
outofyourmind said:
I see 9HH as the model number. Hope that's it.
Click to expand...
Should say something like 91200. But most of those differences are size of fuel tank, pull or electric start, output shaft size differences, etc. The carb is pretty standard.
 
fordman84 said:
Should say something like 91200. But most of those differences are size of fuel tank, pull or electric start, output shaft size differences, etc. The carb is pretty standard.
Click to expand...


Thanks @fordman84 , I'll clean it up and look for more numbers.
I'll edge tomorrow, then take it apart. That will give me a couple of weeks to order the kit, if that's what it is.

I still get this feeling it's the fuel pickup/fuel filter that's getting clogged, so I'll clean the gas tank first, like you said, and go from there.
 
outofyourmind said:
Thanks for all of that info.
One thing I have to do is keep the fuel tank topped off with fuel, and I mean topped off, or it won't run at all.
Does this thing have a fuel filter???? And does that come with the kit??

I have the torx wrenches and can do this, but was looking to avoid any pitfalls by somebody who has never done one.

Thanks for all of that. I'll see what happens. I'll empty the fuel tank first and check that
Click to expand...
Shouldn't have a fuel filter other than some screens on the pickup tubes that stick down into the tank. If you want to clean those off. on the left side (viewed from the back) is the cover for the fuel pump. What I've done before is remove the muffler on that side, undo one of the screws that holds the crankcase breather tube on and pull it out of the way, and you can get the fuel pump plate off without ever pulling the rest of the carb/tank off. There will be two holes on top of each other on the ride side. One of those is pickup and one is the return. Get carb cleaner with a straw and shoot it into both of those. It will blow out any crud on the screens. Probably replace the pump while in there since it is super simple and cheap. Just put on the cover part that comes off with two of the screws inserted to hold the pump in place. There is a spring/cap in there that can be a pain, but if you tilt the engine over it will stay in place.

That will allow you to fix 99% of carb issues. The only one it doesn't fix is if the gasket has torn and you have an air leak. But doesn't sound like you do. Sounds like the pump diaphragm is just gotten old and hard.
 
@outofyourmind

This is probably the pump you need


That's the super common one, there is another that is less common. if you pull it apart you can get that pump and see which it is. The uncommon one is



And I wouldn't worry about replacing the spring and cap unless the kit comes with one. If you get a kit without, no worries. Also, Home Depot and Lowes usually sell these, that's how common they are. Those links will help you compare the photos to see which you need.
 
fordman84 said:
@outofyourmind

This is probably the pump you need


That's the super common one, there is another that is less common. if you pull it apart you can get that pump and see which it is. The uncommon one is



And I wouldn't worry about replacing the spring and cap unless the kit comes with one. If you get a kit without, no worries. Also, Home Depot and Lowes usually sell these, that's how common they are. Those links will help you compare the photos to see which you need.
Click to expand...


Thanks, I'll use those links.
I saw on one of the video's I watched about the spring and cover.

Also looked at the muffler (about taking it off to get to the pump) and it's exactly what you said. The bolts look really rusty though, so it might be a challenge.

I'll give an update when I get there with it.
 
outofyourmind said:
@Peter Gozintite
@Tomhusker



After watching more of these, I think it's my fuel pump.
Click to expand...
lisa simpson GIF
 
outofyourmind said:
@Peter Gozintite
@Tomhusker



After watching more of these, I think it's my fuel pump.
Click to expand...

Go electric. Battery technology has gotten much better. You have a nice machine that is better than a plastic shielding one, but it is less convenient, and is being phased out despite its performance.

I don't like carburetors.
 
I was getting the snowblowers put away and the mowers out and working today. I always drain all gas and change the oil on the snowblowers before letting them sit till next winter.

The Sears craftsman riding mower with a 16 HP Kohler motor I always change the air filter and oil filter with new oil and such.

This year when I too off the air filter i noticed a bunch of fur and grass stuc up in the housing around the flywheel and was like wtf did some mice move into my Kohler engine over winter. I reached in where I could without taking the cover off and pulled out a bunch of grass and fur and then noticed 5 very small baby mice with no fur that were alive with heart pumping and legs moving and such. I have a vid of this. I am guessing that have to be born fairly recently. I figured I best take the cover off the flywheel to make sure it was all clean.

I just let the baby mice lie there on the floor of the shop figuring I would sweep them up later when I cleaned up all the grass and fur. I had to run to town to pick up some oil and a new filter and did a few other things and was gone a few hours . I left the shop door open while I was gone. When I got back to put things together the baby mice were all gone. The mom must have dragged them off to a new place or maybe a stray cat came in and ate them?

The damn mouse chewed on the wire from the coil that brings the electricity to the spark plug. I am glad they just got the unsulation of the wire chewed and taped that back up

 
More mower pics000Mouse (2).jpg

000mouse3.jpg
 
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